1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of displaying animation.
2. Description of the Related Art
When different animation sequences are displayed in multiple windows on a display screen, an object can be viewed from various angles simultaneously, or a desired animation sequence can be retrieved quickly, and various other advantages can be obtained. Means for displaying a plurality of animation sequences on the same screen according to the prior art displays each animation sequence in a separate window as shown in FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings, and a method of controlling such a display disposes control buttons on a 1:1 basis for each animation sequence.
However, these multiple animation sequences have no link between them as far as user operation is concerned, and the user must designate a desired animation sequence and view each one individually. In other words, it has not been possible for the user to simultaneously view a plurality of animation sequences with a certain synchronous relationship between them, or to view associated animation sequences by designating a keyword associated with a certain document or data. When a plurality of animation sequences represent a condition of driving a car, for example, these animation sequences need to show views from outside the car or from a driver's point of view so as to clearly show the operation of the car, its performance and appearance, and so forth.
According to the prior art, only one reproduction button is provided for controlling the animation, and the user must fast-forward the animation to reproduce the desired portion from a series of animation sequences. The method shown in FIG. 12 has a feature that the user can freely set the portions which he wants to view. Considering future applications where animated information will be supplied great amounts, however, it will be necessary for suppliers of animated information to also provide a method of quickly accessing a desired animation sequence in the sense of an information filter.
Though the prior art technology shown in FIG. 12 can certainly display a plurality of animation sequences, control keys are merely provided for each animation sequence, and these animation sequences are displayed quite independently of each other. Further, each set of control keys merely controls the reproduction, stop, fast-forward and rewind of the respective animation sequence regardless of its content. In other words, it has not been possible for the user to retrieve the contents of these animation sequences in advance.
In the future, with the advent of B-ISDN (Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network), development of workstations having a high processing capacity, etc., which will ensure easy handling of multi-media systems, is expected. Therefore so the display of a plurality of animation sequences with mutual linkage will become possible. Accordingly, a method of accomplishing such a display will become necessary, and a method which enables the user to quickly watch a desired portion or portions from among large quantities of animated information will be desired.